Dionysus' Dance
by Parodys
Summary: Jubilee's insanity drives her beyond the physical world. Last chapter is up! Please R and R.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimers: The song Jubilee sings is from a poem written by UnchasteBittersweet called Anime and I thought it fit perfectly with it. Jubilee doesn't belong to me as well as the other Marvel characters…big surprise.

A/N: Dark…but feedback is loved so….

Dionysus' Dance

"As the anima I hide, with-in you, trapped inside, you said I wasn't there, you lied..." The eerily sing song voice echoed through the halls making everyone who heard it shiver. 

Jean's face was pale as she nervously sipped her coffee, her hands shaking slightly as she ran a hand through her hair. "She was like this when we found her." Turning to the two other men in the room, she glanced quickly from Logan to Xavier. "Sean and Emma are on their way but I have no idea what to do."

"You lied you lied you lied you lied you lied you lied you lied you lied you lied you lied" the singing grew shrill and Logan sunk down into a chair. The three of them had retreated down the hall to get away from the singing but no matter where they went the voice followed them.

It hadn't always been that way, and when they later searched for when it had all started it was almost impossible to find it. So many things had happened in her life that could have tipped the scales; her parents' murders, living on the streets, leaving the X-men, Bastion kidnapping her, and Everett's death. In actuality it was when she was kidnapped by Bastion, a man sick enough to twist a young girl's mind, distorting it to the breaking point where if she had endured any more stress she would dissolve under the pressure. 

When Jubilee had returned she had hid her shattered psyche well, after all she had done it most of her life how was it any different? Madness, like anything else can be hidden and for the most part she kept it under wraps. However it was little facts that kept on popping up that started chipping at what was left of her sanity. Little facts like her teammates had barely noticed her being gone. Little facts like Emma and Sean hadn't even known that Bastion had kidnapped her. Little facts like Logan wouldn't have even saved her if he hadn't smelt her scent in the air by pure and utter chance. Her once perfect X-men had deserted her and her friends barely noticed her. And then her Everett died.  

"Screaming for release, denying your spirit's peace, you can no longer cover me with your golden fleece." 

Four days after his death they had found her at Xavier's mansion wandering the halls, crooning to herself, her brilliant blue eyes wide and childlike as she looked unseeing at the people she once knew. Nothing that Xavier, Jean or anyone else did was of any impact and made no difference. Logan had been away in France helping recruit some new students when he had been called back. Now, he stood in the doorway looking at his former partner.

"Uh..hello Darlin.." 

Jubilee continued humming to herself, gently touching a geranium that had been placed on her nightstand. The pale yellow and orange blossoms seemed to please her and she plucked the flower from its pot.

"How are ya feeling? Everyone here is pretty worrie...." Logan's sentenced died in his throat as she slowly turned to look at him, her eyes piercing his heart with it's sadness and anger.

"Look me in the eye, My misery strikes the man in you to cry, Now you know my need to die die die die die die die die die die die..." Each word struck the older man like a physical blow as he watched her shove the now petal-less flower back into the pot. "Look me in the eye, look me in the eye."

Logan kneeled down and reached out to touch her, ignoring her flinch as he held her hand. "Darlin, what happened? Who did this to you?" He knew that her teammate had died a week earlier but this couldn't have caused her to break, the little girl that he knew was strong…stronger than this and he told her that. 

Her eyes locked onto his and she was trembling violently, her blistered feet and hands tapping on the down quilt on the bed. It had been in the middle of winter and though she had been wondering the mansion she had obviously walked there. She had been soaking wet, lips tinged with blue and bare feet and hands. Hank had barely managed to save her hands and feet, and had wrapped them in a filmy gauze to protect them from any more damage. 

"Eyes let you enter my soul, nothing left but an empty hole, once tender heart, now black as coal." Jubilee sang sadly, her head shaking softly to the music as she rocked back and forth, her eyes never leaving Logan's. 

"You're in there somewhere Darlin and we'll find ya. We'll find ya." Stumbling to his feet Logan almost tripped in his haste to get out of the room. Once outside he took a shuddering breath, he never cried before in his life but at that moment he was nearer than he had ever been. Popping out his claws reflectively he looked at Jean and Xavier. "I'm going to find the bastard that did this to her and rip out his heart. Got any problems with that Chuck?"

Xavier was pale as he regarded Logan. "None at all."

-in-

Jubilee blinked, and wearily wiped a hand in front of her eyes. Hallucinations. Again. Carefully wrapping the quilt around her body she started to scream.

-in-

The lone sound of a wheelchair slightly squeaking was the only thing the broke the sound of her torment. Neither Xavier nor Jean had been able to find anything in Jubilee's mind, nothing but bit's of images and flashes of darkness. Hank was in the process of going over her medical files but still had found nothing. Emma and Sean had arrived just moments earlier and were listening to the disturbing shrieks coming from the room down the hall. After a few minutes Emma took off her coat and walked to the room, her face expressionless as she geared herself for the sight she was going to see. Not surprisingly, she wasn't even close to being prepared. 

Jubilee stopped screaming the moment the woman had entered the room, and smiled softly. "What things do you dream, how true do they seem, what torments make you scream?" The verse was high and lilting, reminiscent of a lullaby.

"Good afternoon, Jubilation. How are you?"

"What makes you scream?" the girl sang in reply.

Not bothering with any more small talk Emma brutally tore into the girl's mind, her eyes filling with tears as she felt each and every horror that Bastion had made her endure. What made Emma sob was the utter loneliness Jubilee felt, her sense of belonging nowhere, of nothing loving her, of a yearning for death. Retching, Emma withdrew her mind, and emptied the contents of her stomach on the floor. 

"You tremble with your tears, heart whispers secret fears, with loss of secret emotion each nerve sears." Jubilee got up from her bed and stroked the blond head, the popped blisters leaving trails of blood in the pristine gold. Turning from Emma, Jubilee slid into the bed under the covers, letting Emma tuck her in. Nestled in the sky blue quilt, she looked like the innocent child that she should have been. "Now my fair skin fades, soul returns to shades, after my vengeance of spirit raids, I am gone."

Unable to answer, Emma slipped out of the room her whole body shaking with anger and fear. "Bastion did this to her, and I can't do anything. She's in a shell that she's created and nothing can penetrate it unless she allows it. This is it."

"Maybe you can't but someone can. Anyone." Logan's face fell at the others' faces. "Nothing?"

"Nothing."

With a shocked silence the four people stood and looked down the hall, each wrapped in thoughts of the small firecracker they knew. As the sun began to cast it's long rays across the mansion, dipping into the horizon all anyone could hear as they walked around the house was the sad, sing song voice of a girl trapped in a nightmare she couldn't wake up from. 

"I'm gone. I'm gone. I'm gone. I'm gone. I'm gone. I'm gone. I'm gone. I'm gone." 

-fin-

A/N Disturbing…yes I totally agree. But feedback would be loved and appreciated. Let me know what you thought J


	2. March of the Saints

Disclaimer: I own nothing…I just play with them and put them back.

A/N: You wanted more…so here is more. Hope you enjoy it.

"Rock a bye baby

in the treetop

straddling death

with each tiny rock

say goodbye and you're done

because when baby drops

no-one breaks the fall"

March of the Saints

-New Orleans-

-ten years earlier-

It had been night for a few hours, and the once busy streets were still and quiet. That was the only reason he was able to hear the soft whimper of pain, barely discernable even to his ears. Glancing around quickly, he ducked into the alley and knelt by the prone figure. 

"Pauvre petite, it doesn't look good non?"  Well-manicured hands brushed the pale blond hair out of the child's face. "C'est rien, I will fix it." 

A sharp crack echoed out and then the dark figure emerged once again only to disappear into the shadows. Back in the wet alley, the small head sagged in the mud and a necklace slipped from the neck and into the murky puddle.

Two days later a tall figure in a trenchcoat darted into the alley and slipped into the shadows, holding his breathe as several men ran down the street yelling "Voleur!" 

Satisfied that he was safe for the moment, Remy crouched down to examine the contents of the jewelry box he had relieved of a rich bastard that had managed to tick of several of the Guilds in the city. It was petty, he was willing to admit that much, but as he sifted through the tacky gold and silver jewelry, he also admitted that it was fun to annoy the man. Glancing down at the puddle his boot was half in, he saw a glint and reached down into the muddy water to pick up a heavy silver crucifix with ebony beads. This however, Remy thought to himself as he slipped the rosary in his pocket and tossed the rest into the trash, this was worth keeping.

-in-

Current time

"Once upon a time and far away there was an enchanted castle. It was tucked away from the world, hidden by a deep forest and seen by the small creatures of the forest."

The small form shifted slightly, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she nuzzled closer to a ratty bear. Emma paused in the story to glance at Jubilee, holding back any worry that she was feeling. It had become a nightly ritual for her to read Jubilee a story, the one thing that seemed to keep the young girl calm the entire night. Wolverine had tried it once and they had ended up spending hours trying to calm her tortured screams. 

"And in this castle was a princess who was under a very horrible spell, a wicked witch had been jealous of the girl's beauty for a long time and had put a sleeping spell on her. The spell kept the princess asleep until a true love could save her." 

Rolling her eyes at the slightly sexist fairy tale, Emma tossed the book aside. "Okay, there was a spell, but no pathetic clause requiring a man to kiss her. Instead...." The older woman tapped her finger thoughtfully on the arm handle. "instead....as the girl slept she began to break through the spell, in bits and pieces. Finally, decades after the spell was cast, the princess, now a woman broke the spell, found the witch and sued her. Thus resulting in a hefty lawsuit that entitled the princess to several million dollars so that when she did fall in love and marry, she entered into the union as an equal. The End." Emma paused, something didn't feel quite right. "She lived happily ever after because she was her own woman and could support herself." 

Feeling immensely satisfied with herself, Emma tucked the girl in and after placing a soft kiss on her forehead walked out of the room.

Outside the room she found Xavier waiting for her. "Any improvement."

"No, not really."

"We tried to have Remy be with her this afternoon and it was the same result as usual."

Emma's eyes flashed angrily. "Let me guess, while I was at the school? Your little experiments have done only one thing, determine that I'm the only one she will let close to her."

"They have also determined that Jubilee fears the X-men. Everyone that she has had a reaction to has been a member at one time or another while she was living here. Whoever did this wanted her to fear us."

"Well apparently they did a good job because even Logan doesn't have an impact on her psyche..."

Sliding out from the comforter, Jubilee opened her window ignoring the frigid burst of April night air and snow that hit her, and climbed out onto the ledge peering down the three stories at the ground. Her hands were tinged with blue as she shimmied up the wall, her nails getting torn off as she gripped the slick red bricks as she hung on. Shaking from the bitter wind, she pulled herself up onto the roof and managed to sit down on the slick incline. "All you need is a happy thought and you can fly...." she whispered spreading her hands and jumping.

-in-

Later that night

White puffs of smoke billowed from the chimney of the mansion, the only evidence of any activity going in the massive building and Jubilee watched it with interest as she hovered in the air. Her nightshirt whipped around her legs with the stiff breeze, the pale blue Styx T-shirt borrowed from Jonothan not warm enough to keep her teeth from chattering. With a bemused smile, Jubilee drifted towards the attic window and dropped lightly onto the ledge. Nimbly opening the frosted glass pane, she ducked inside to the enveloping warmth of the house. 

Shaking off bits of snow she padded softly around the various trunks and boxes that littered the floor. The room that once used to scare her had no horrors any longer, the ones that frightened her now were the ones that she couldn't even name. Passing a cedar trunk, Jubilee's eyes fell onto a plain wooden box almost hidden among some of Remy's old clothes and costumes. She slid the cover off to reveal a beautiful silver crucifix, it's heavy cross tarnished with age. Rubbing the smooth metal against her cheek, she could almost here it whispering to her as the links and beads rustled against each other.

*Prettyprettyprettyprettyprettyprettyprettyprettyprettypretty*

Jubilee's hands paused as she cocked her ear closer to the cross. "Pretty?"

*Very pretty*

Smiling Jubilee slipped the necklace over her head letting the cross fall just above her heart, her eyes flashing green for a split second. "Very pretty"

-Fin for now-

You like? Let me know


	3. Remembrances of Magnolia

Disclaimer: Fine! They aren't mine. Raul is though so nyah!!

A/N: Jubes is insane and for reasons purely my own I decided not to do a whole scene with Bastion getting what he deserved. Thanks for all of the great feedback and I hope you like where this is going!

Remembrances Of Magnolia

"Hush little baby,

Don't say a word.

Mommy's dead.

Daddy's been hung.

You're all alone in the world."

The chill of winter slowly faded as the small, confined world of the X-men and Generation X slipped into the warmth of spring. Jubilee's classmates went about their schoolwork looking forward to their eventual graduation that May with Sean as the sole Headmaster. Emma had chosen to take a sabbatical of sorts to be with Jubilee and had remained at the mansion to take care of her ward. Even war and the common mayhem that seemed to follow the team dulled and all were able to relax for a change. Bastion had been found brutally murdered in his cell at the prison, the only evidence left behind beside the pools of blood and gore were three deep grooves carved into the concrete walls. As for Jubilee, she went about in a world of her own creation, her only contacts to the real world were Emma and her newfound gardening.

April had crept up on everyone and with it came Jubilee's seventeenth birthday, a day that was spent quietly outdoors. A small patch of earth had been prepared for the young woman by Storm that was located by the back porch. Emma sat on the porch swing sipping her coffee as she watched Jubilee crumble clumps of soil in her hands, tending to the dark rich earth lovingly. As the screen door creaked open, the wooden planks shifted as Logan walked to the two women, his hands flexing around an empty beer can. 

He stood there for the longest time, just watching Jubilee in the sunlight. The girl before him was nothing like the firecracker he used to know just a few months ago. A painful thought rose to the surface and he winced, wondering if he ever really knew his little girl. Sunlight streamed down between the budding leaves of the oak tree that towered in the yard, lighting up her face and hair showing the highlights of blue that seemed to shimmer in the day. Jubilee had taken to wearing soft, filmy summer dresses and her hair in braids that made her look thirteen again. At her neck was the silver rosary and daisy chain that she had strung together earlier. Just looking at her Logan could almost pretend that she was okay, unbroken.

*But she isn't is she?* 

Logan glared at Emma, the growl that was forming in his throat for the intrusion dying as the energy seemed to be sucked from him and he merely slumped down beside her and said softly. "No she isn't."

Emma's eyes softened and she patted him on the hand awkwardly. "It will be okay."

Silent for a few moments, Logan seemed to remember the package he was holding in one of his hands. "This is fer Jubilee. It's her birthday. She made me promise that I would get her a Harley for her seventeenth, I didn't know what to get her now." He apologized worriedly, putting out of his mind the bright purple Harley sitting in the garage that he had special ordered for her almost a year ago in preparation for this day. "Is she better today?"

Emma pursed her lips thoughtfully as she contemplated the girl. The better days that Logan referred to were days that Jubilee seemed to tolerate the presence of the X-men, if only to the extent of ignoring them if they came next to her or tried to communicate. The days that were worse, had Jubilee screaming if she came into contact with one of the team members through touch or speech. Finally Emma nodded, "I think so, but don't push it." Her last words had the hint of steel that carried remnants of the old White Queen. 

Nodding, Logan approached Jubilee and sat down on the ground beside her. Nervously flinching, she quickly glanced at him and then proceeded to ignore him as she placed tulip bulbs in a careful pattern. "Hey Darlin. Happy Birthday."

He held out the package and when she failed to make a move towards it, unwrapped it for her. It was one of his favorite hats, a tattered brown cowboy hat that he had worn for years after giving Jubilee his last one. "I thought you'd like this since the old one got destroyed."

Jubilee's breathing hitched in her chest for a second as her eyes flitted to the proffered gift. With shaking hands she gently took the hat and smelt the worn material that was permeated with cigar smoke, cologne and whiskey. Then as Logan was about to place a hand on her arm, she shrieked and threw the item away as if it terrified her. Sobs racked her chest as she hurled paff after paff until it was a smoldering patch of bare lawn.

"_Non, c__e n'est pas possible. Il est mort. Ils sont tous morts__.__ Les morts me hantent. Ils s'accrochent à moi. Où est chacun? Les morts me hantent.__." _

_"_Les morts me hantent_._ What the hell does that mean?" Logan stood stock-still, his hands twitching as he forced himself not to move, previous experience having been harsh teacher.

Emma flung a distracted look in his direction as she ran to the girl. "I don't know. Please leave. _Please_." 

Logan left the two women, the younger one sobbing as if her heart would break as the older woman cradled her. Stomping angrily into the kitchen he proceed to chug down three beers in succession before he noticed Remy's presence in the room. "What do you want, Cajun?"

"Nothing." Remy held up his hands and walked out of the room.

"Good." Logan's eyes glittered dangerously as he watched the man leave, he had seen the necklace around Jubilee's neck and the Cajun's scent that came with it. Slinging back another beer he glared at the empty doorway. "Good."

-in-

For most of the X-men the night held it's own special terrors for each of them. For Jubilee it allowed her the sweet release of being able to pretend that everything was a dream. The things that couldn't be named that haunted her waking hours could be imagined away for a few precious moments in the night. If Jubilee took care not open her eyes to the monsters that waited for her to wake.

*Pauvre femme, I will protect you. I will make you safe.* It was a woman's voice, sweet and honeyed.

It was close to midnight, and whispers that only Jubilee could hear floated in her head. "Safe?"

*No more nightmares. Nothing will haunt you. Safe from the fears that scare you. Today will never happen again to you. No more pain.* 

Jubilee smiled beatifically, and felt herself being comfortably shielded as she noticed almost abstractly that her body was moving of it's on violation. A bag was quickly packed, essentials deftly tucked into the duffel bag taking care to make no noise. Stepping over to the huge bay window she paffed the locks, incinerating the heavy bolts that had been put into place since Jubilee had moved back into the room. Swinging the window out, she stepped out onto the ledge and hovered for a second, the odd feeling creeping around in her skull that she should be thrilled that she was flying instead of the brilliant numbness that surrounded her. The feeling was quickly subdued and it was just moments later that Jubilee found herself at the train station standing in front of a ticket agent getting handed a ticket.

The older man looked at her curiously, her eyes were an eerie color seeming to shift from a dark blue to green in the light. "Ya sure you'll be all right?"

Green eyes looked up at him and the girl smiled calmly. "Of course. I'm going home."

-fin-

A/N more is coming fairly soon and to all of those that have had or will have or are having spring break….yeah! Remember feedback makes the world so much nicer J


	4. Old Blood

A/N: In answer to the question regarding Jubilee's ability to fly, I've always thought that the main reason she never did in the comics was because she didn't fully embrace her powers, with her insanity she didn't fear them and it was like second nature to her. Hence her telepathy will follow in the same way. Thanks so much for the great reviews…it's really great to get feedback like that and it helps with the writing process. 

Disclaimer: *Sigh* Jubes isn't mine along with the rest of the Marvel characters. Raul, Madam Clare and the old lady are mine. Intrigued yet? :)

Twinkle twinkle little star

Shining down from afar

Cold and bitter

Fiery madness

Shunning heaven and its gladness

Even angels fear this madness.  

In the quiet streets, the rapid tapping of dripping water falling onto the trashcan littering the alley. Jubilee shivered even though the air was heavy from the heat and threatening clouds that loomed low in the evening sky. The small duffel bag that she had packed lay at her feet, her confusion and panic at the crowds of the city of New Orleans after leaving the train had forced her to hide in the dark recesses of the French Quarter. 

Bells began to peel the evening hour and Jubilee's head jerked up at the sound. Her face was harried, her hair coming loose from the braids and her dress wrinkled from traveling; looking very much like a lost child. Getting up Jubilee began to follow the sounds of the bells, a tugging that pulled at her, leading to a huge cathedral in the depths of the city. Tiredly she walked up the massive steps into the building, the soothing strains of the evening Eucharist welcoming her in. Automatically ducking into a little bow, she slipped into the last row and pulled off her rosary, regarding it closely for the first time. The cross itself was made from a heavy, old silver while the beads were made from ebony. Sinking down onto the rest, Jubilee knelt and began to murmur, the words slipping from her tongue as if she had known them her whole life while her fingers followed her progress on the rosary.

_"__Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâce, Le Seigneur est avec vous. Vous êtes bénie entre toutes les femmes, et Jésus, le fruit de vos entrailles, est béni…."_    
-in-

(The outskirts of New Orleans on the edge of the swamp)

"It's been quite awhile." The old woman remarked quietly as she shuffled the deck of cards in front of her. A stiff breeze ruffled her pure white hair, sending the wind chimes around the front porch bouncing around. 

The man in front of her didn't reply, but took the deck she offered him and cut it three times before handing it back to her.

"An old lady might think something is up fer you to make such a visit." She eyed him carefully, and when he made no comment, she sighed and started to lay out the cards on the small round table. After she had finished laying out the pattern, she stared at it for a few moments, a frown beginning to crease on her already wrinkled brow. 

"Give me your hand." the man proffered a dark, well manicured hand which the older woman encompassed in her own. 

"Things are shifting," the older woman closed her eyes and clenched the hand in her own. "Take nothing for granted because in the rose a snake is hidden. Someone is going to need you."

"Who?"

"A lost one." Her eyes flickered open and ran over the cards on the table, falling on the last with the dark cloaked figure. "The balance is so slight that if I tell any more there will be no chance of redemption. My apologies Raul."

The man merely nodded and gently removed his hand. Handing her a couple of bills, he walked out the door his outline almost disappearing as he slid into the night.

-in-

-Danger room-

The safety protocols were off, that much Logan...no, now he was Wolverine as he raged against the sim, that much he was aware of . He had felt the need to taste blood that flooded his tongue with a bitter twang, and nothing short of hunting down Sabretooth, even a fake one would achieve that. Feeling helpless was something that Logan had never been good at, and he was feeling more than a little helpless trying to track down the missing Jubilee. Somehow Emma and the rest of the telepaths couldn't find a trace of her, he hadn't been able to track her smell and the rest of the team hadn't seen hide or hair of the girl anywhere in a twenty-mile radius. 

**Thud** Logan's fist slammed into the large mutant's stomach in a satisfying way. Sabretooth managed to roll to the side and grazed Logan's arm with fatally sharp claws, making the scent of blood fill the air. His nose twitched, and without bothering to pause turned on the man with a savage ferocity that soon left Sabretooth in shreds. Red flooded his vision as he continued to pound on the hapless body and he roared in rage when the scene faded. 

"Bring him back!" 

Remy had seen Logan in almost every possible situation. Hell, he would be the last person to judge the man down in the Danger Room, but he knew that Jubilee would have to have something to come back to when she returned.

"Non."

Logan flung a furious gaze up at the observation deck and three seconds later had Remy in a stranglehold. "Give it back or I make do with you."

The Cajun had gripped the strong arms around his neck, the power beginning to surge around his hands. "Non, and you know that if you take me out, you come with. Comprend?"

Neither man moved for an ageless moment and then Logan flung Remy aside. "Yer treadin on thin ice Cajun."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Logan's face twisted into a snarl. "Just back off! I've had enough of your stink to last a lifetime."

Confusion flooded the younger man's face. "Pardon?"

"Like you don't know that she wore that necklace you gave her day after day and wouldn't touch my gift. She burned it and kept yours. What was so good about your gift?"

"Necklace? I never gave petite a necklace. She reject Remy the same as you."

"Bullshit." Logan spat. "That silver cross thing that she wore all the time, and it had your stink all over it. The nose don't lie bub." 

Remy paused thoughtfully before replying. "I have a lot of old tings in de attic. Maybe she got it there. But I came to talk to you about something else, I don't think that petite would…"

Logan flung a hand aside and stalked out of the room. "Save it, I have to go find Jubilee."

Remy stood in silence for a few moments pondering the stupidity of certain Canadians with blind sides regarding a blue-eyed firecracker that was currently missing in action. The moment he found out Jubilee had left he was fairly certain that they wouldn't be able to track her. A child of the streets knew how to cover her tracks and while she was incapacitated, she was far from stupid. No matter how much she wanted the current household to believe it.  

He shook his head and picked up the phone and punched in a few numbers. As he waited for the line to connect, he pulled out a small worn photograph that had been taken of Jubilee at her last school dance. Her hair was wild about her shoulders and she had a worn a cute, form fitting tux with a sparking blue cummerbund that made her eyes shimmer. Remy was grim as he tucked the photo back in his pocket. "Petite, everyone thinks you are lost, but you know what I think?" He patted his pocket confidentially. "I think that no matter how lost you are, you are better at hiding." 

The phone line finally connected and was answered after a few rings. "Bonjour."

"Pere, c'est Remy. I need the Guild."

-in-

It was raining, the thunder had boomed several times before it finally gave in to a full tantrum, sending rain down in cascades. After the service Jubilee had found herself uncomfortably alone, and had been left to wander the streets until she had ended up deep in the alleyways of the docks by the river. She was soaked to the bone, she had lost her bag in the search for the church, and was seemingly unperturbed by the occurrences so far. Strolling calmly in the warm rain, a rather bemused smile lit her face as she took in the gloomy area. 

Warehouses were scattered, hulking buildings that loomed in a kind of hushed menace, making sure that the area was deserted at this time of the night. The only sounds were of the horns of the riverboats as they lazily made their way down the river carrying partying groups of people, shimmers of light on the water. Jubilee's foot hovered near the water's surface, precariously balanced on the concrete barrier that was slick from the rain and a deep green moss that squelched under her sandal. 

A cool hand grasped Jubilee's shoulder and pulled her back as she wavered on the edge of the concrete boundary that separated the water from the land. Closing her eyes, she let herself be drawn back onto the solidity, letting herself open her eyes when she had finally stopped feeling the spray of the water on her face. 

The man was about six feet tall, had dark skin, and dressed in a black shirt and pants in a leather trenchcoat that was billowing with the rain and wind. Wordlessly he turned her to face him, his hands sliding up from her shoulder to caress her, sliding up over her neck to rest on her cheek. A twinge of hunger curled around his gut as his fingers felt the pulse of blood under the skin. He smiled, a startling flash of white that was second only to the color of his eyes, which were a brilliant green. "What, no thank you?"

Jubilee shrugged, unafraid as she stood unflinching as his cool hand brushed across her skin like a lover's touch. "Another dead one." She stated matter-of-factly, looking him in the eye.

"What?" Shock flashed across the man's face for a second before he stepped back and peered at her more closely. "Who are you?"

"I'm gone, washed too thin, bled dry and left to die." Jubilee said softly. 

"Well, not yet anyway." The man grinned, running a tongue across his teeth. His grip grew tighter, and he bent her neck so that he could see the steady pulse throbbing under the skin. Breathing in deeply, he frowned as he couldn't smell the fear in the child. No matter how good anyone was, no one could hide their fear, it was a sense as tangible as taste or touch and fear was a sweet mixture of sweat and adrenaline. Not going so far as to release his hold, he did pause. "Who are you?"

"A man's redemption and his fall." 

Sighing rather petulantly, the man resumed his former stance, his mouth millimeters above the pulsing point when Jubilee whimpered deep in her throat the very sound freezing him in place. Shuddering he drew back, squinting as rain marred the girl's features, the soft curves twisting into a very young face that disappeared with the next flash of lightening.   

He stood in front of the small figure, biting his lip in frustration as he tried to figure out why he was actually feeling something for this child. He sighed, a century or two ago he would have had her bone dry and lying for dead in the street. Hell, an hour ago she would have been bled dry by now. Maybe he was getting soft, but this small child, no, teenager as he inspected closer, something about her begged to be looked after. Cared for. She was so....his mind searched for the right word as he absently took off his coat and wrapped it around her thin form. She was so...fragile. Besides, he told himself, he could eat her later. "Come petite, let's take you somewhere warm."

She hesitated whispering once again. "Dead one?" The dark figure didn't inspire the same horror as the other visions did, and with the simple thought that there was no fear, she allowed herself to be lead away and hidden beneath her dress the rosary lay comfortingly heavy above her heart.

-in-

The night allows for those who wish it, to travel unseen and unheard, hidden by the sounds of the crickets and owls, the rustle of the willows and the whispers of ghosts that call out to anyone that can hear.

It was not much later that around 3am, a short, plump woman answered the door wearing only a t-shirt and curlers. At the sight of the tall man and the limp figure in his arms she ushered him, closing the door quickly behind him. He moved easily into the living room, closing the window drapes before sitting down with Jubilee in his arms. 

"What do you want Raul?"

"I need you to care for the girl."

Clucking softly, she felt Jubilee's forehead. "Where did you find her?"

"At the docks."

Clare rose an eyebrow, taking in his soaked clothing. "Hunting night already? No matter, go change into some of Peter's old things and then you can help me with her."

"No, let's get her taken care of first."

"Fine, you'll catch your death of co.." the phrase died on her lips as she saw him smirk. "Point taken. Let's go upstairs and get her into the bath."

Over the next hour, Jubilee was gently bathed, dried and clothed in a haze of warmth and comfort that she only remember later on as flashes of the man and light. She was tucked into a small bed with a soft comforter that was embroidered with posies and forget-me-nots and almost instantly fell asleep as soon as her head touch the pillow. The one thing that she was dimly aware of was that her hair had been braided into the exact style she liked, and a sense of safety as a dark figure remained at her bedside until the first rays of the sun streaked across the horizon.

-fin-

A/N: The direct translation of what Jubilee says is, "Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.   
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus…." Taken from the Catholic prayer. As for previous French text…all will be explained.  


	5. Fortunes

Disclaimer: Marvel characters belong to Marvel. 'Nuff said.

A/N: Faye is a French word for faeries. And this chapter is dedicated to Verthril who managed to reassure and inspire at the same time. Thanks!

Fortunes

"Life's a funny thing isn't it?"

Paige looked up from her cup of coffee to where Monet was absently stirring cream into her tea. "What do you mean?"

"It's just, aren't you at all worried about Jubilee?"

"The X-men are taking care of her. Besides," Paige raised an eyebrow at the girl. "What do you care, it's not like you and Jubes were friends anyway."

"Just because we didn't always get along doesn't mean that I don't care. But that's not the point, the point is that it's been a few months now and there hasn't been a change. Doesn't' make you wonder what caused it? I mean it was Jubes...she never acted any different."

Guilt churned in Paige's stomach, an emotion she had been trying to avoid for several weeks now. "So she was good actor at hiding what was going on. So?"

Monet didn't meet her eyes as she finally voiced the thought that had been in all of their minds since Jubilee had turned up at the mansion. "So, when is the last time you can tell me you knew that Jubilee was being real?"

-in-

The last of the evening sun's deep yellow rays flooded through the filmy curtains at the window, finally managing to wake up the girl nestled in the bed. The room was spacious, hardwood floors covered with hand woven rugs, wicker furniture was placed around the room, and an ancient dresser stood against a wall. A glass full of floppy white flowers was placed on the windowsill, and french windows looked out onto a balcony. Opening one of the drawers, Jubilee managed to find clothes and slipped on a fresh dress, a pale blue dress that floated around her calves. Her fingers deftly tied her hair into braids and looking at herself with a smile of satisfaction, she walked out onto the balcony. 

The air was comfortably warm, and as she stepped out she could see the rest of a large yard. Willows shaded the lawn, their long braches brushing the deep green grass almost concealing a birdbath where a crow was playing master over the sparrows that splashed in the tepid water. Red and orange streaked across the horizon, sinking the world into the soft twilight of a spring night. Jubilee let her mind drift; searching for the one mind she was seeking and found it almost hidden among hundreds at a local nightclub. Without pausing, she stepped off the balcony and flew off towards the beckoning mind. 

She landed about a block away from the club, and she could already feel the steady throb of music under her feet as she walked to the entrance. A huge crowd was lined up at the door; everyone dressed beautifully, glinting in the streetlights. Ignoring the line she walked directly to the person at the door, a massive man who looked at her arrival with a rather sadistic grin. 

"Lemme guess, you want in?"

Jubilee nodded, the soft streetlight making her hair incandescent with blue streaking through the black locks.

"Don't think so kid. Come back when you're legal." The crowd tittered as he waved her away.

"I want in." Jubilee's eyes blazed and she flung a paff at the offending hand, pleased to see him squeal in pain. "Let me in."

"I don't take threats well. Now leave before I haul your ass to the dumpster out back." The man growled at her, clutching his still smoking right hand to his body.

"No." It was a tone that both Emma and Wolverine would have recognized; it was the voice of a determined Jubilee, one that would not back down. The last time Emma had witnessed it, Jubilee had gone after her parents' killer and that was when she was sane. 

"I'm gonna hurt you so bad it's gonna give you nightmares to your grandchildren." The bouncer swung out to grab her neck, his muscles twisting from the sheer power.

Jubilee shrugged and aimed a paff at his head. "It's too late for that." The man collapsed as his world seemed to explode around him in a bright array of colors. Stepping over the prone figure, Jubilee pushed the door open revealing an ecstatic crowd that throbbed under the beat of music. Before her lay a large a dance floor, that seemed like an undulating mass of bodies with lights dancing across the surface. A bar lined on side of the room and stairs went up to the balcony that over looked the floor and contained more rooms. 

Ignored by the mass of people, she slipped up the stairs onto the second floor and without pausing, walked to a non descript door and knocked. The door opened a crack a gorgeous man looked out, his unimpressed gaze eventually falling on the small form of Jubilee. 

"You don't want to go in here, go home to your maman." His face was perfectly carved, an alabaster statue smoothed to an almost non-human beauty over eons. 

Jubilee's eyes slipped into the dark green and it was if her entire posture shifted into that of someone else, something that did not go unnoticed by the man at the door. "Non, I will speak to..." A moment of confusion flickered across her face before resuming its former expression. "...Raul. Now."

"And you are?"

"An old friend." A ghost of a smile twitched at her lips.

"One moment, s'il vous plait." the door shut and she could hear voices on the other side, and within moments she was allowed in.

The room was dark, the only lights a few candles in the corners of the room. Music filtered softly from the dance floor and people lounged around the room making quiet conversation, which died as she walked in. The person she looked for though, was sitting by the open window on a low-slung lounge chair and beckoned her to him. As she sat beside him, he looked slightly surprised and saddened at the same time. 

"Why did you come?"

Jubilee's eyes clouded, the blue seeming to pool back in. "You called me and I came."

The man that had been at the door approached the two of them, his face twisted between anger and laughter. "Why is the child here? She isn't one of us."

At his voice the room stilled, and the people turned to look at Raul who placed a protective hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps, but she's isn't human either. She's under my protection so leave her, Julian." His nostrils flared as he stood face to face with the man, like mirror images of the same man, one born of darkness and the other of light. There was certain ambiance that the room radiated, a carelessness that covered everyone in darkness as they moved silently along the wall watching the two men face off. No one was aware of Jubilee until she laid a gentle hand on Raul's stomach and pushed him away. 

"I protect myself." Jubilee's face was impassive, unhindered by her normal fears that normally reined over her powers. It was as if a floodgate had been opened and a second later she had Julian's body engulfed in bright colored globules, each one burning his skin and his screams echoing from the rafters, getting lost in the music that engulfed the building. Moments later he was a pile of ashes on the hardwood floors.

A tall woman stood for a moment looking between Jubilee and the pile of ashes on the floor before deliberately stepping in the pale dust as she strode towards Jubilee. She was dressed in tight ivory pant and blood red shirt, and she ran a hand through her light brown hair. "Well chere, now I am curious, who are you?"

Jubilee seemed to shrink inside herself, suddenly very, very tired as her tenuous hold on lucidity began to falter. "I don't know. Everyone's dead and gone away. I don't know."

"Then what should we call you?" The woman brushed a stray lock off of Jubilee's face. "A little one so full of surprises should have an appropriate name. You remind me of the faye, small and strong. What do you think Raul?"

"I think that we need to find out about her." Raul delicately removed Jubilee from the woman's reach. "And this child..."

"Faye" The woman supplied with a light smile.

"Perhaps, but this child is a little bit too dangerous to be your toy Brigitte."

"But it's alright for you to play with her? I would have thought that she was little young for you." Her eyes racked up and down Jubilee's body, still young without all the curves of womanhood.

A low rumble formed in Raul's throat and he smiled at her, his mouth just wide enough to show the hint of white incisors that seemed to grow each second he stared at her. The room shuffled uneasily, concerned for the first time since Jubilee entered the room. "She needs me." Without another word, he led Jubilee out of the room, down the stairs and out of the club into the sweltering night.  

-in-

It was early in the morning, with traces of the night still lingering in the cool air. Remy had wandered upstairs to the attic, the tensions of the mansion becoming too much to handle, especially for an empath. The first rays of sun came in through the old window on the east side, the light filtering through swirls of dust that puffed up every time his feet hit the floor. 

Squinting in the dim light he could just make out small footprints scattered around the room, the daintiness of which he was willing to bet belonged to Jubilee. With a calculated eye, he worked out where she had been and curiously what she had been looking at was his things. An old trunk of his had been opened and rummaged through, and the velvet box that held the necklace was empty. Ever since Logan had brought his attention to it, very pointedly, he had been struggling to remember what if any silver necklace that he had. And the only one he could remember was currently around Jubilee's neck. 

He had been so young when he had found the necklace, and it wasn't much later that he left New Orleans behind. He hadn't carried much with him, but the necklace had managed to find it's way in his bags. It was odd, there was never any question as to whether he would take it or not, it just was there, in his hand as he was leaving.

Remy sat down on an old toy chest turning the velvet box over and over in his hands. He had been in New Orleans for too long to ignore coincidences of any kind. Or his gut instincts that were telling him to head down south as soon as possible. 

-in-

The French market was lit with strings of lights that danced in the breeze. The rain had finally stopped for a while and large crowds of people had emerged to enjoy the respite. A group of men had started playing the slow sweet strains of jazz, and couples were dancing to the music. Magnolia and lilac was in the air, and the old woman smiled as watched the younger couples swaying to the steady pulse of the saxophone. 

"You came here as journey of the self did you not?" The old woman was the picture of a fortuneteller, her layered, colorful skirt that had tinkling bells all over it. Bangles dangled cheerfully as the old woman gazed into a battered crystal ball.

"Yes!" The girl, a co-ed from a college a few hundred miles away, had been teased by her friends into getting her fortune told.

"I see a wonderful man in your future, he is kind and will bring you much happiness."

"What does he look like?"

"Very handsome, he is not too tall, had light hair and he will make you laugh. Bonne chance, mes enfant." The elderly woman patted the young woman's hand, taking the two tens from her and slipping them in the front of her dress. "Now go, there is much magic in the air tonight. When the magnolia blooms, so does love." 

The girls left giggling, heading towards a group of boys that were across the square. The old woman sighed, and sat back in her chair taking in the stars that were beginning to creep past the clouds. These nights, when spring was warming the earth and making the flowers bloom in abundance could bring back memories of legends long forgotten and people long dead.

"Some things are better left to the past, Aida or should I call you Madame Zelda?" Raul chuckled as he sat beside the old woman, taking care to seat Jubilee beside him in one of the rickety whicker chairs. 

"Pah, tourists. They all want the same thing, long lives, handsome lovers, and riches in their future. So sue me for making a few dollars." Aida cackled mischievously and waggled her fingers at him. "And aside from a notoriously tacky outfit, it works out just fine."

The three of them sat in silence for a few moments watching the dancing bodies, laughing and talking as the music began to draw in more people from different parts of the quarter. In a lull, Aida turned to Raul, "And who have you brought to me?"

Raul had his arm around the girl, rubbing the braid between his fingers in an almost unconscious gesture. "I found her by the docks yesterday night, and tonight she stood down Julian and killed him. I wondered if you could see who..." His voice lowered and he leaned closer to the jeweled ear. "Even the Family is unnerved by her."

Shrewd watery gray eyes, peered at Jubilee. The teenager met her gaze and the older woman stifled a gasp as she saw the brilliant blue eyes shimmer to green. The innocent gaze of a lost child became cold and calculating. Aida shoved her chair back and crossed the air in front of her. "Why are you using this child?"

The voice was light and soft, childlike tainted with bitterness. "Child? This child has lived almost a decade more than I ever got." Jubilee's face twisted with anger. "She was abused by the people she lived with and came with me willingly. I protected her and she let me use her to come here."

"Who are you?"

Jubilee sat down on Raul's lap, stroking his cheek with a child-like clumsiness. "Don't you remember me Raul? Your baby sister who used to tag at your heels and beg to be taken along every time you went out?"

"Aimee?" The word was half sob, half gasp. "Ce n'est pas possible."

"Oh it's possible big brother. Anger can drive people to amazing things, even this." Aimee looked at the old woman, understanding each other on levels that were beyond the man cradling the girl in his lap.

"What do you want?" Aida asked tiredly, not taking her eyes from the girl.

Aimee smiled, "I want to be at rest. I want vengence."

-fin-

A/N: The "family" refers to what Raul etc call themselves eg. The vampire family. More to come!

-in-


	6. Blood Vengence

Disclaimer: Marvel owns their characters, I own mine.  
  
A/N: This is it, all of your questions will be answered....at least I hope so. I think that one more chapter will be lurking after this one, due to all of the great reviews and support that I've gotten.   
  
Warnings: This will get slightly graphic and bloody so I'm bumping the rating up to an R just to play it safe.   
  
***passages take place in the psychic realm***  
  
Blood and Magnolias  
  
-ten years earlier-  
  
The child that stood before the man wasn't afraid. She had spent her life being around things that would make most grown men cower in fear, and a gun pointed at her head was not the worst thing she could think of. The girl couldn't have been more than six or seven years old, and she was dressed in a soft pink dress that was totally out of place in the filthy street where she was standing. One of her braids had come undone with a white ribbon trailing down her back, which flickered in the night breeze as she stood before him defiantly.  
  
"I don't care who you are, but I'm not afraid."  
  
The man smiled at her, a gesture that never reached his eyes, as his hand twitched on the gun. "It doesn't matter. You will die, you will be alone, and no one will know your grave." His hand twitched again, and fired three times into her chest and arm. "You will feel pain."  
  
She crumpled like one of her rag dolls, a soft whimper in her throat as he stood over her. He had placed the shots in such a way that she did not die instantly, instead she bled slowly over the muddy cobblestones. Her mouth convulsed as she tried to call out, but the rising blood drowned her voice. In her hand she had been clenching her rosary, an heirloom that had belonged to her brother and been handed to her once she was born, and she let it slide between her fingers into the blood, hoping that the dark liquid would conceal it's presence.   
  
"Pauvre petite, shall I make it better?" the man slipped the gun into his jacket, and with a smile of satisfaction snapped her neck.  
  
By then it had begun to rain, washing away all traces of what had happened into the depths of the sewers as the man hauled the lifeless figure away. The girl's body was never found, and the one thing she left behind for people to find got picked up by a Cajun thief two days later.  
  
-in-  
  
In the woods surrounding the mansion lurked a legend of almost epic proportions. No children ventured there at night, and even adults feared to enter its borders. The legend? A man called Logan who had resorted to what he knew best, nature. He had spent his life, at least his known life doing what he thought was right. Sure, he had stepped on a few toes, frequented a few bars, and broken some bones but all in all he had tried to do the right thing. And the best thing he had ever done? It was Jubilee. Anything that he had ever done since he met her was based on the sole fact that it was the best for her. Every time he left the mansion leaving behind a broken hearted little girl, it was to protect her. When she traveled with him for that year, it was because he thought that she would be safe. Turned out that even he couldn't do that. So, he encouraged her to go the Academy with others her age. Hell, if he had his way he would've kept her close and never let her out of his sight. But he didn't. He let her go. And he was cursing himself for doing so.  
  
Logan lay in the shadows of the tree, hidden within the thick branches that burst with new green leaves. He had spent the better part of the past three days in these woods, for reasons that he wasn't quite sure of. The look on Jubilee's face as she got his present still made him cringe, an image that was visible every time he closed his eyes.   
  
"Ils sont mortent." His angry voice startled several birds as he spat out the phrase that he had sat and contemplated for more hours than he could be sure of.  
  
"Who is dead?" Ororo asked, stepping up to the tree concerned. Her hair had been tied back and she was wearing a somber gray T-shirt and jeans, a sure sign that she was worried about Jubilee.   
  
Logan peered down at Ororo, and leapt down to meet her. "You understand that?"  
  
"Yes, I learnt French as child. Who is dead?" she repeated, a little more urgently.  
  
"I don't know. But can you help me translate some more stuff?"   
  
Ororo nodded and the two sat beneath the tree as Logan began to reel off phrase after phrase. Deftly she translated the sentences, and when they were done, Logan gave her a bear hug and a sound kiss on the cheek.   
  
"What was that for?" Ororo asked, blushing slightly as he sat grinning at her.  
  
"Because now we finally have a clue, Ro. Let's go find Chuck."  
  
-in-  
  
New Orleans was a city that was unforgiving on those that weren't aware of what lay hidden in the night. Remy, however was no novice and as he waited in the depths of the shadows. A soft splash behind the Cajun had his cards charged, conveniently located in his sleeve that could be released with an almost unperceptable twitch of a muscle in his wrist.   
  
"Trust me, if I hadn't wanted you to hear me you wouldn't have." The older man held himself the same way his adopted son did, emerging into the dim light with assured strides. His hair had become grayer since the last time Remy had seen him, and he felt the twinge of regret that he wasn't there to be with his father. It must have showed on his face because his father drew him into a hug. "It's been a long time."  
  
When they separated, Remy stepped back and handing his father a picture of Jubilee. "Did you find anything on the girl?"  
  
Jean-Luc shook his head. "There had been nothing, rien. No one has heard of the child or seen her in any of the places."  
  
"What about the other Guilds? Have they seen anything?"  
  
The older man took the picture from Remy's hands, noticing the dog-eared edges before replying. "The other guilds have other things on their plates to search for a petite fille. A lot has happened since we talked."  
  
Remy sighed, and leaned against the wall absently searching for a cigarette in his coat pocket. "Yeah?"  
  
"The Vampire Clan has been on the move, rumor has it that they are getting ready for something big."  
  
"C'est interesant. Usually they are fairly low key non?"   
  
"Oui, but from what we know it looks like they have been shook up by someone, a child apparently. No one can find out anything else."  
  
Remy's hand froze as he considered the possibility of what his mind was trying to suggest...there was no way....it was absurd..... Giving up his search for the cigarette Remy suppressed yet another sigh as he asked a question he was almost sure he knew the answer to. "So, this child...is it a girl?"  
  
-in-  
  
Black figures hovered over a small grave that was hidden in the recesses of an abandoned graveyard. The old headstone had been removed and replaced with a new one, one that had the occupant's name, date and that had the quote "Protector of the night and keeper of the soul".   
  
Jubilee could feel the tumultuous rage of Aimee subdue a little in the body that they shared. A soft moan escaped her lips as she looked down on yet another beloved's grave, the panic starting to creep over Jubilee.  
  
*Shhh, it's okay.* The words were comforting, soothing like a warm blanket. *It's what I want, this is okay.* With Aimee's death, her soul had retained the ageless quality it had now, and it held Jubilee like a small child. *Only a few more things left to do and it will be finished. We both will be free.* Jubilee sighed and willing let her consciousness shift control over to the girl, who dropped a magnolia on the grassy hill.  
  
Raul rubbed her back, and leant over to whisper in her ear. "Aimee, are you ready?"  
  
Aimee breathed in deeply, savoring the sweet scent of the grass and the night. "Oh yes."  
  
Turning to look at the people who had accompanied her, she flexed her hands slightly and a bright pink globule appeared, hovering above her palm. "This body has some amazing capabilities for such a small person. I think its time we make some people pay."  
  
The group was composed of people better left to the night, their very being suggesting inhuman power coupled with the persistence of eons. Raul had and was the leader of their little clan, a leadership lasting over six centuries. They had ruled the city since their arrival over hundred years ago, and the guilds had bowed to their whim because crossing them was the unthinkable.   
  
But then one of Raul's descendants (from a brother now long dead) had been born, a small child that radiated light. A girl that he named Aimee, or dearly loved, and watched over and protected because even as an infant, she never shunned him like other children or cringed when his cool hand touched her skin. The Family had embraced her as the child forever denied them. Unknown to them, the Guilds had watched over the years as the child aged and come to a decision the eve of her sixth birthday. Within a week the deed had been carried out, approved by each organization with the exception of the Assassins and Thieves who felt that honor hadn't been upheld.  
  
Aimee had disappeared, her body never found and well being never determined. It destroyed the Family as it was intended. While Raul searched, the guilds grew in power. While he cried out to the gods for help, his empire crumbled. But now, his Aimee was returned to him and he was going to make sure she would rest in peace. People were going to die tonight, and blood would fill the streets.   
  
-in-  
  
Xavier was sitting in shock as Logan rapidly gestured, outlining his theory. "We all were subjected to the same drivel that bastard Bastion tried to pawn off on us. We all saw the same thing, team members dying, being tortured etc."  
  
The older man nodded, a crease beginning to form on his forehead as he picked up on where Logan was headed. "I know, every team member went through therapy afterwards dealing with those traumatic images."  
  
Emma paled as the entire room turned to face her, and she felt her stomach churn. "Jubilee never told us what she went through...we were so busy trying to find the rest of the children that we just didn't...she didn't look as if anything was wrong....it was just..." Devastated Emma sat down on the chair, afraid that if she looked up she would see the accusing stares of the man whose daughter she had failed to protect.   
  
"So, obviously Jubilee never went through a recovery period and she spent several weeks with that man. What if he so thoroughly convinced her that those images of our deaths were real that she believed him? When I gave her the gift she said that she was being haunted by the dead, that they surrounded her. What if we are the things that terrify her the most?" Logan glanced at Emma, sharply curbing his desire to beat her to a pulp. There would be time for everything later.  
  
"That's why she can't stand contact with any of the X-men, they were dead to her. Emma was never shown in any of the scenarios which was why Jubilee let her near." Xavier slammed his fist down on his desk in a rare show of satisfaction. "Excellent Logan, now the trick will be how to undo this mess once we have Jubilee and it seems that Remy has some leads as to where she is."  
  
The room buzzed with excitement as they prodded Xavier for details, no one noticing Emma quietly leaving the room with tears running down her face.  
  
-in-  
  
It was a rich house, the understated elegance evident of old money and power. No one saw them enter the mansion, no one saw them slip into the bedroom, and only one witnessed the black clad figures bearing down on him before his head was ripped off and flung against the wall and by then he was dead.   
  
House after house was struck, with leader after leader brutally murdered in their beds, all lying in soaked mattresses of their own blood. In a matter of hours, the dawn was kissing the sky and Aimee was standing over the last person who had called for her death. The man who had pulled the trigger over ten years ago, was now an old man who looked up at her with watery brown eyes. "Who are you?" The soft raspy voice could barely be heard above the blast of riverboat horns on the river that the house looked over.  
  
Aimee's eyes gleamed a brilliant green in the darkness, and pulled out a shotgun. "You once told me that I would die alone, in an unmarked grave and I would feel pain. Remember? A little six year old girl, blond, green eyes that you killed in cold blood?"  
  
The man paled and reached for his nightstand table, when Aimee fired three shots into his chest, taking care to aim for the same locations that he did so long ago. Any cry that he would have made died in his chest as the blood oozed from the holes. Aimee felt Jubilee cringe inside the body that they both shared at the violence, and stealing herself Aimee forced Jubilee back into the depths of her mind, absently reassuring the distraught girl while she regarded the gasping man.  
  
Leaning close to his face the young girl whispered in ear. "Today ghosts will be laid to rest." Nodding to Raul, he deftly twisted the man's neck hearing the neck snap with satisfaction.   
  
Then they rushed back to the house via the sewers as the new morning's rays warmed the cool streets. It was about then that screams could be heard all over the city as maids discovered their masters and mistresses dead, lying in pools of congealing blood. By ten am the entire city was in mourning for those that were lost.   
  
Raul and Aimee sat nestled together on a couch, each not saying anything but soaking in the presence that had been long denied them. His soft features were happy as he held her in his arms, listening to the soft mews that his "little sister" made when she was happy. As the day wore on, they dozed together savoring their time until the night returned and reclaimed what was borrowed.  
  
-in-  
  
To put it mildly Remy was unnerved. To put it more accurately he was totally and utterly "freaked out" using a certain firecracker's lingo. He had tracked down the vampires and been utterly shocked when had seen Jubilee with a group of about twenty of them going through the town as if she led them. What he wasn't prepared for was the sight of Jubilee coldly and brutally murdering the leaders of the Guilds. It sent chills down his spine to see the fragile girl grin as one man's head was torn off. He had followed them as they went on their death melee, making sure that he had his father warned and prepared if they decided to attack the Guild of Thieves as well.   
  
Fortunately the march of death ended at the Merchant's Guild where Remy saw Jubilee shoot a man in cold blood. Every time he pictured the scene in his mind he got chills down his back...the Jubilee he knew didn't even kill her parents' murderer when she had the chance. Uneasy, Remy sat back and waited, watching the young woman while he formulated a plan to set her free.  
  
-in-  
Dusk  
  
The deep bellow chirps of frogs could be heard in the distance as the group gathered around the grave. Aida was there, dressed simply in black, the soft lace dancing around her legs with the stiff breeze as she laid out a few candles for what was to come. Jubilee had been dressed in white, a garland of jasmines around her head and intertwined in braids that hung down her back. The body of vampires stood silently, a dark backdrop against the cemetery. They were there to protect the lost one, a vow that had been made at her birth would continue into the hereafter. Raul had remained silent throughout most of the preparations, his eyes drinking in the tiny gestures that the girl made, the little things that distinguished Aimee from the body she inhabited. Giving a slight nod to the old woman, he slipped off to where a seemingly empty tree swayed in the wind.   
  
"Bonjour Remy. Ca va bein?"  
  
A card crackled into life, confirming Remy's presence, and his red eyes stared at the man from the darkness. "What you want and how do you know me?"  
  
"Do you think that I wouldn't know the adopted son the of the leader of the Guild of Thieves? You haven't changed much from when you were a child."  
  
Several more cards joined the already charged one. "You barely know me."  
  
"Ce n'est pas vrai, l'enfant. We watch everyone, and we watched you. I know why you're here and you shall have her returned to you."  
  
Remy's eyes blazed as he looked at the nonchalant man. "You've corrupted her, Jubilee would never kill and you made her do it. I saw what you did to those men."  
  
A sad smile creased Raul's face, the lines soft in the delicate skin. "Regardless of what you may think, it was Aimee not Jubilee as you call her, that killed those men. Besides, Jubilee gave her blessing." Raul paused at the look of horror in his face. "Are you so surprised that the child would want to see a person avenged of a horrible crime? Aimee has seen what this girl has been through, seeing the ghosts of her loved ones constantly and not being able to do anything about it. Jubilee chose to let Aimee be at rest, nothing was forced on her."  
  
Aida walked up to the two of them and patted Remy's cheek affectionately. "Do not worry, it's good that you are here so that the girl sees something she is familiar with when she regains control of her body. Come."   
  
Remy pulled back, an expression torn between horror and sickness on his face. "What have you done to her?"  
  
The older woman waved at Jubilee's form. "The body of a person usually can house just one soul, but with your young friend she allowed Aimee in. Both were lost souls looking for something, and Jubilee provided it for Aimee and Aimee provided a buffer from her fear. Aimee is ready to go, and you need to be here for your friend." She placed a steady hand on Remy, squeezing his hand reassuringly leading him to where they were standing.   
  
Aimee turned to look at Remy, excitedly squeezing his hand as he took his place next to her. "It's time for me to go home."  
  
-in-  
  
***  
  
Jubilee blinked, she was in a room with huge windows on every wall that looked out onto fields of green. The room was light and airy, and as she turned around she could see a small child in the corner. It was a girl about six years old, wearing a soft white dress that was soaked from the three bullet holes still in her chest. With a soft cry, Jubilee ran to the girl and enveloped her in a hug.  
  
"Aimee?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Jubilee gently touched one of the holes that still bled, a frown crossing her forehead. "You're still bleeding."  
  
"Yes."  
  
A smile lit the teenager's face, one that was reminiscent of her days with Wolverine, and she brushed a stray lock of hair from Aimee's face. "You don't have to do that anymore. You're free."  
  
Aimee giggled as she looked down again, to see a pristine white dress with lace. "Yes!"  
  
"You can go you know."  
  
The small child shook her head and held out for Jubilee's hand. Taking the girl over to the window she pointed to the field. On it Jubilee could see the X-men and her teammates laughing and playing as they gathered around a huge picnic table. Bobby had just frozen the beer so that it exploded all over Scott, Hank was doing cartwheels, Storm was playing Frisbee with Jean and Remy, and Logan was looking at them. He grinned and waved at her calling, "Come on Darlin, we gotta whip Cyclops' butt at baseball."  
  
A tear fell from Jubilee's eyes as she watched them and Aimee looked at her curiously. "Why are you crying?"  
  
"They're dead and I'm all alone."  
  
Aimee patted Jubilee's face affectionately. "They're not dead, they're alive and want you to join them. Bastion lied to you, you're not hallucinating. They're alive." Jubilee's hand clenched the smaller one, unwilling to take her eyes off of the window. "Trust me, they're alive."  
  
Jubilee's hold loosened slightly. "You will be okay?"  
  
Aimee smiled, an almost exact copy of the older girl's. "Very okay. They aren't where I'm going. I will be just fine." the little girl planted a soft kiss on Jubilee's cheek. "Thank you."  
  
***  
  
With a shuddering breath Jubilee opened her eyes, and Remy looked at the beautiful sapphire pools with a grin of relief. He gently touched her shoulder, and she jumped as she noticed him. He had never seen her so vulnerable as she reached out and touched his face in wonder.   
  
Jubilee held her breath as she traced Remy's features, feeling the warmth, listening to his chest rise and fall, and seeing the skin tremble as she brushed across it's smoothness. With a sob, she hugged him, squeezing him as tight as she dared relishing in the feel of his every movement from a man she had once thought dead. It was a sweeter feeling than either had ever felt before.   
  
-in-  
Several Days later  
  
Raul sat sipping his drink thoughtfully, swirling the amber liquid around in the glass so it stayed warm. The Family's strike on the Guilds had created many enemies, but had also reinstated their standing in the ranks as the leader. Just yesterday the Guilds had offered a truce and now negotiations were in the works.   
  
Looking outside, he stared at the glittering stars reminded once more of the brilliant girl that he had lost and the conversation he had with Jubilee before she had returned home.  
  
Suddenly the world had seemed so much darker to Raul when he saw Jubilee's eyes shift to blue for the final time. While he was glad that she had been able to let Aimee rest in peace, he would have rather had Aimee with him in any form. With each cry of joy that Jubilee voiced, Raul felt his heart sink even further. Unable to watch any longer, he walked off to wait under the willow tree. he pulled a cigarette out and lit it, taking a long drag more out of habit than need.   
  
"Uh...Raul?"  
  
Even the accent was different, and the man forced back a cringe and turned to her with a smile. "Yes?"  
  
"I thought you might want this." Jubilee slipped off the heavy rosary and slipped it in his coat pocket, unsure if he would be able to hold it.  
  
He patted the pocket with a smile, relishing the weight. "Thank you, I gave it to her when she was born. Her mother will appreciate this."  
  
"Her mother?"  
  
"Yes, you stayed the night at her house when we first met. I don't know if you remember Madame Claire."  
  
Jubilee's eyes softened at the memory and she smiled. "I remember feeling safe and having my hair done just right."  
  
The two stood awkwardly for a moment, the occasionally sound of people yelling in the distance as the night's fishing boats came in. Raul grunted in surprise as he found Jubilee hugging him with the ferocity of a tiny bear, and he smiled at the dark head under his chin. "What's this for?"  
  
"Because I can see why Aimee loved you so much."  
  
"Pourquoi petite?" He softly smoothed her hair noting the silkiness of it.  
  
"You have a darkness that burdens you, but you don't let it control you. You manage to keep it at bay with light. I had...I have a friend like that."  
  
"And how does he keep his darkness away?"  
  
  
Jubilee smiled. "Me."  
  
Raul's eyes crinkled as he realized that he truly liked this child. "And Aimee was mine."  
  
The vampire held Jubilee for a moment longer before stepping away. His life had been spent searching for answers about what had happened to the tiny child that had claimed his heart, and this small girl...woman had managed to answer his questions. "Perhaps prayers could be answered for the godless and the damned." he mused. "Be well Jubilee, I hope you have found peace."  
  
The young woman smiled, her heart free for the first time in months. "Peace and joy, Raul. My family is alive again and you have yours to look after now. Thank you."  
  
-in-  
  
A/N: One more chapter left folks! Thanks for being so patient. 


	7. Sweet Magnolias

Disclaimer: Marvel characters belong to Marvel. Mine belong to me.  
  
A/N: Well here is the final chapter. Thanks to everyone who reviewed and kept this story going. Hopefully everything will be explained..if not let me know and I'll fix it.   
  
-June-  
  
  
A worm curled itself around Jubilee's finger as she sprinkled nutrients into the soil. She had just planted some new bulbs, magnolias, that Raul had given to her before she left. The heavy burlap bag had contained several bulbs along with some seed packets that he had refused to tell what they contained. Squirming, the worm slid back down into the soil and Jubilee dusted her hands off on her overalls and T-shirt she had borrowed from Logan's closet.   
  
From the corner of her eye she could see the household peering at her between the slit in the curtains. Once she had returned, after the elation and questions, everyone had been careful around her. Jubilee had been surprised to learn that she still liked gardening and returned to her beds with a determined hand. Storm had been careful to take care of the flowers while she was gone, but it wasn't the same as working with her own hands.  
  
Jubilee's powers hadn't diminished either, and she was learning to work with her new powers much to Jean's delight who had taken her as a student. Cutting a tulip, Jubilee turned and handed it to Remy who was approaching her.  
  
"Bonjour Chere."  
  
"Hey Remy." Jubilee returned to digging with a trowel. "Are they still watching me?"  
  
He chuckled and settled on the grass beside her. "Oui, I don't think you will be gardening by yourself for awhile yet."  
  
"Once the baby always the baby." Jubilee replied matter of factly. "At least Scott pours me a full glass of juice now."  
  
Remy snorted, remembering how not too long ago Scott used to pour half a glass for any member under the age of 25, a thing that managed to drive both Bobby and Jubilee insane. It was only a year ago that Jean had to stop Scott from cutting up their plates as well. "You're taking it well."  
  
She shrugged. "I figure that everyone has a quirky family, I just have a bigger one than most."  
  
The older man regarded Jubilee as she deftly filled in the holes, tapping down any loose soil before watering it. White dresses and the braids had been abandoned, replaced with a more casual look. Everyone had been afraid that she would return upset that her teammates were ready to graduate, but Jubilee revealed a brain under the hot pink outfits she used to wear and in the space of a month had filled the requirements of graduating. Logan had watched her graduate with a huge grin on his face and had presented the long awaited gift of the purple Harley.   
  
Emma walked out to the couple, her face had aged in the few days Jubilee had gone. Her once pure blond hair now had a streak of white in it, the bitter tension of the household taking it's toll on the woman. Failure that had happened not once, but twice and to the baby of the X-men family had left Emma out in the cold and she returned to the mansion only to visit Jubilee after she moved from the Academy.  
  
"Hello Jubilee."  
  
"Hello Emma, how was your trip up here?" Jubilee patted the grass beside her.   
  
"Not bad, the skies were fairly clear on our way here." The woman once known as the White Queen smiled wanly, her face sad.  
  
Jubilee gazed at her former teacher for a moment and then turned to Remy. "Can I talk to you later?" He nodded and agily got up, dipping into a flourid bow before sauntering off. *And Remy?* His stride paused and looked back at her. *Perhaps we could do it over dinner?*  
  
Remy grinned and winked at her. *Nothing would please me better chere.*  
  
Once they were alone, Jubilee took Emma's hand. "I know that you blame yourself for what happened to me. Please don't."  
  
Pain flashed across Emma's pale blue eyes and she tried to pull away. "Jubilation, you don't have to do this for my sake. We both know I failed you."  
  
Jubilee's laugh shocked Emma, who looked up at the light sound. "Emma, you never would have known what I went through because I would have never told you. My shields were always too strong to be broken and I was never one for sharing. If anything it was my fault, I've always tried to be self reliant since I could walk. Bastion just made use of what was already there." She wrapped her arms around Emma. smearing mud on the pristine white suit. "Yer not a bad person Frost, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."  
  
Emma smile reached her eyes for the first time since Jubilee went missing. "You are something else you know that?"  
  
"You're not so bad yourself." Jubilee started putting her gardening tools away in a big wicker basket. "So are you planning to stay for dinner?"   
  
"I think so." Emma picked up the basket and headed back to the house feeling much better than she had in months. It never failed to surprise her how well Jubilee managed to bounce back from all the bad things that had ever happened to her. A twinge of doubt nudged at the back of her mind and she turned to look at the girl. Jubilee was humming softly as she admired her garden and the bright blooms that were like colorful explosions bursting from the dark green. Shaking off the feeling, Emma went into the house where preparations where being made for a huge spaghetti dinner.   
  
Tossing off her dirty gloves, Jubilee sank back down into the rich grass staring up at the blue sky. A butterfly fluttered over her, hovering over her face for a moment before going to investigate some Queen Anne's Lace. She no longer felt fear, or was scared of the terrors that plagued her. Seeing Aimee with Raul had taught her one thing and that was to cherish the dead even when they were gone. Rolling over on her stomach she plucked a dandelion and blew the whispy seeds into the wind, watching them dance with each other as the breeze took them away.   
  
Logan stood in the doorway and saw Jubilee, the sight making him grin out of pure joy. His Darlin was back, better than ever and was with him. "Hey Darlin, grub's almost ready. Come on in."  
  
"Okay." Jubilee waved to him and got up. Pausing for a moment, she closed her eyes relishing the feel of the sun on her body and the feel of the breeze through her hair. Life was sweet. A twinge of sadness curled around her heart, as she opened the door and listened to the sounds inside. Forcing a smile, she entered into the apparent warmth and light of her family. No-one heard her whisper as she sat down at the huge table, "We all take what we can get."  
  
-fin-  
  
A/N Keep in mind Jubilee's madness was based on the fact that she thought she was being haunted by the ghosts of her dead teammates. What if she was never cured but instead accepted it and embraced it...never truly believing that they were alive and that she wasn't alone. Please review and don't yell! :) 


End file.
